-From 'Penance Unending' Memoirs of Interrogator Legios Repentia David James Foothill, record holder for longest lasting Legios Repentia Sentencing in the Imperium of Man. Note from Legios Repentia David James Foothill: Raya chose the title.-
Four more months of travel in the warp later and we arrived in Periremunda's orbit.
I accompanied the Lady Haut Vail as the young Lord Haut Vail XVIII, a younger sibling charged with protecting his willful older sister.
Not my idea, I had proposed a simple alteration from mariachi to your stock standard private musician. Amberley, after having a conversation with Raya and Rakel that I wasn't privy to, decided to have a ball of a time playing dress up with me as the rather unwilling canvas.
"I can deal with the frills, the frankly absurd amount of silks, and excessive amounts of jewelry…but why, on God's Green Earth, did you have to dye my hair blonde?" I muttered once we were in the back seat of Amberley's requisitioned Aircar, unfortunately Bubba wasn't 'regal' enough to be the transport of nobility.
"No sibling of mine is going to have hair the color of dirt." Vail, at this time, is dressed as a typical Imperium noble, crimson dress with an excessive amount of frills, lots of filigree and jewels, and a hairdo that reminded me of Dolly Parton.
"This whole charade is going to go to hell once Venters and Raya drop in, Boss." I remarked, leaning back in the seat, letting a smirk grow on my face as Flicker let out a snort from the driver's seat. This causes Vail to drop the persona as her own smirk graces her features.
"David, our presence here must remain as secret as possible for as long as practical. You know exactly the reason why." Amberley spoke with a huff, pulling out a hand mirror and making sure her 'face' was still in place.
"Rogue Mechanicus Tech-Priest, Tyranids, Chaos cult, general Ciaphas levels of bullshit. Not to mention anything else that I may have stirred up by lighting up Drogan like a candle last year." I replied, repeating the information from the brief in a curt manner.
"Indeed. Don't worry, David, you'll be able to get back into combat dress fairly soon. Once we get settled into the hotel, you can get your helm in place and get to work being my representative with Keesh and the General. Rakel will help us find some of the nests, you get to try out that new suit, and I get to observe from a safe distance for once." She lets out a laugh and I chuckle in suit.
"And that's why you have the power armor in the boot of the car, is it? To observe from a safe distance?" I shot back, earning a 'tut-tut' waggle of a finger in my direction as the persona of the Lady Haut Vail slipped back on in an instant as the car slowed to a stop.
"Those garments are absolutely boorish, dear brother. If I have to wear them on this planet, why, I might just have to tell Mother about it, and you know that won't end well for you." She spoke as the door opened up and I exited out, adjusting my coat. The same brown suit jacket that I landed on Gravalax in. I didn't like this deployment, the subterfuge. There was a weight in my chest that hadn't lessened since we broke atmosphere, and with my armament limited to Buddy, my .45 tucked under my jacket, I was about as twitchy as Simeon. And that's without a veritable cocktail of stims flowing through my veins. When Buddy broke his almost ever present silence, I knew things were going to go to shit .
"We're going to need more ammunition, Master David."
Principia Mons was an urban area, winding roads and large buildings spanning as far as I could see from the Penthouse that would be our staging area. Flicker, Simeon, Rakel and Yanbel were all around, setting up the Penthouse for the proper use as a temporary headquarters, i.e: Placing weapons just about everywhere, setting up vox equipment to speak with the Exterminatus and by virtue of that Venters and Raya.
"You're awfully quiet there, Foothill." Flicker comments, approaching with an easygoing smile, I could see the glint of a metal tooth in his half smile from our spar a year back.
"Got a bad feeling about this operation. I know it's supposed to go to shit, but there's this sinking feeling in the back of my mind that things are going to get worse." I mutter softly, pulling my chestplate over the Silver Carapace and strapping additional magazines for my pistol to my left thigh. Flicker gave a nod and handed me my shotgun and a bandolier of shotshells.
"Well, David, that's what these are for, ain't they?" He snarks and I let out a scoff of a laugh. Taking Grande and slinging him over my shoulder.
"We got your back, Jefe!" Grande speaks, he's loaded with some special pills I cooked up with some help from Venters. Inferno shells with some extra promethian kick. Repentia kicks her pilot light on with a giggle that I could hear the manic smile in.
"Let me at that traitor Inquisitor, Dad! I'll slag him good!" She sparks, and I let a soft grin grow on my face. Eager Kid. I tucked my helmet under my arm and nodded in thanks at Flicker before I approached Rakel. Simeon twitched out a nod of acknowledgement before his implant hit him with some kind of tranq, and I felt a stab of pity. He was haunted by his actions, and even now under the influence of tranquilizers he was twitching unconsciously. Rakel turned to face me quickly.
"Restrict your compassion…for now. We'll need him as he is." She speaks, more lucid than normal. "The Shadow hungers…but the warp is writhing. More eyes are watching than normal." With this declaration that sinking feeling gets worse and my approaching question died in my throat.
I step away from the group and find my way into the room that I would call home for this campaign. My hands are shaking, cold sweat is beading on my brow as I feel myself sink to my knees and clasp my hands in prayer.
-Inquisitor Amberley Vail Editorial Interlude, Note from Inquisitor Amberley Vail: David Refuses to go into detail about what transpired during his prayer, however for sake of clarity I will relay my own recounting of this event, as I was lucky, or unlucky depending on your point of view, to be there.-
The moment I saw David speed walk his way to his temporary quarters, I knew what he was going to do. I moved to intercept, he needed to cease this Heresy before I would be forced to kill him. I made it into the room and closed the door behind me and was about to speak before I felt the Voice of the Emperor burn it's way into my mind.
" Hold, Inquisitor. Observe…" He speaks, and my words fade before they're born.
David knelt, hands clasped in front of him as his whispers seemingly echoed off the walls, I didn't even have to ply my trade to hear him.
"Our Father, who art in Heaven. Hallowed be thy name." There's a weight in the words.
"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." I blink, and there's light coming from David's clenched hands.
"Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespass, as we forgive those that trespass against us." The light grows in brightness and my eyes are forced shut once more, I open them again, and am forced to cut back a gasp as there's a man standing there. He's clad in a white robe leaning over David with a hand on his head. He smiles at him, and at me. It's a soft thing, but peaceful. His lips mirror David's as he continues.
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Tears are falling from David's eyes, the man kneels down and whispers something in David's ear in a language I can't understand. He stands, gives me a nod, and vanishes. The Emperor's Voice fills my head once more.
" Jesus of Nazareth…an ally. Foothill's faith is strong. You'd need not rob him of a tool that will be brought to bear against the Enemy. The war is growing. The Ruinous Powers are sending forces to bear. It is with this in mind I declare this: David James Foothill is NO Heretic. He will do the best work he can in your retinue, Inquisitor. Go forth, Amberley Vail, and do My Work."
It will be done, My Lord.
I walk towards David as his prayer comes to an end, and place a gentle hand on his shoulder, I see an object clenched in his hands…A large wrought Iron Spearhead, stained with blood.
"Come, David." I speak, voice softer than I would normally address him, even as he shakes, hands quaking as his eyes can't seem to leave the relic in his hands. "We have work to do."
"I don't know if I have the strength to do it, Amberley." He whispers, voice cracking despite his wiping of the tears from his face. I give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"He wouldn't have given that to you if you didn't, ****." I respond gently, and David rises to his feet, a weight gone from his shoulders as he straightens up and cracks his neck. He gives the relic a final lingering look before he tucks it away. He turns to face me and I bring a hand up to wipe a lingering tear from his cheek, a chuckle rising from my throat.
"I forget how young you are, sometimes, David. Then my maternal instincts kick in and I feel the need to protect you as if you were my own son." I confess, stepping back.
"God, No. I wouldn't survive being your kid. Oh God I'm going to have to help teach your kid…" I laugh at his reaction, even as he covers his head with his power helm and his voice becomes tinged with the Vox.
" C'mon, Boss, let's go squash some Bugs."
Indeed.
-Buddy the .45 POV-
While David had fought Genestealers on Gravalax, the two of us were both unenhanced at that point, myself from the transition from thirty eight thousand years of warp travel and David by his nature of being a simple unarmored human.
Here, in the undercity of Principia Mons, we hunted the genestealer Patriar with the efficiency of a proper squad. David, enhanced by the Silver Carapace kept up with Simeon even in the penal legionnaire's Slaught enhanced state.
"Come! Be purified in the flame of Fury!" Repentia yelled, spewing a gout of napalm that turns three purestrains into bubbling puddles of slag. The tunnels are thick with the smell of burning promethium, puddles of what used to be genestealer hybrids dot the area. David ducks a swipe of an axe that must seem to move in slow motion to his carapace enhanced senses.
" Power Protocol Engaged ." Silver declares as David retaliates with a side kick that pulps the assailants upper half. We continue our assault, Vail is in her power armor, fighting alongside David and Simeon, laying down a hail of hate with her integrated heavy bolter.
The power armor's machine spirit is young, undisciplined…and lazy. He's capable of enhancing Vail even more than he is now, yet lacks motivation. Shameful. As David moves to cover Vail while she clears a malfunction in her heavy bolter, I speak to him.
"You are a guardian , child! Do your duty! War does not care for your whining, you were made to protect ! So protect, Emperor Damn It! " I snarl from my place in my holster. "On your left, David!" I cry quickly, alerting David to a hormagaunt dashing towards us on the ceiling. David blasts a sizzling hole in its chest with Grande.
"Tan picante para ti, pendejos?! (That spicy enough for you, Assholes?!)" Grande snarks. He's been relishing in this combat, fitted with ammunition to match his fiery temper.
The assault continues, with the 'stealers growing less and less organized the larger the pile of their corpses becomes. Eventually we corner the patriarch in his lair, and his voice rattles through the cavern through the mouths of the dying.
" ENOUGH! It is too late, humans! The horde is here! You cannot stop the assimilation! Your world is already doomed! What are you to do, when we have taken over all we need already?!" It cries, a dozen voices joining the keening screech of the Purestrain's inarticulate roar. David draws me from my holster and I flood the round with his anger, with the blessing of the Carpenter granted earlier this day. I can feel the spear adding its own energy to my ammunition as well, and if I had a mouth I would be grinning wickedly.
" I do what I can." David speaks, then pulls my trigger. The patriarch's head is deleted in a splash of gore and white light, and his body is riddled with lasbolts, bolt shells, scattershot, and Rakel, eyes glowing with power from the warp, launches a bolt of lightning that reduces it to ash.
"…when did you figure out how to do that, Rakel?" Vail asks, observing the pile of ash that used to be the purestrain patriar.
"Just now. The chittering hunger is rather grating, Lady Inquisitor."
—
The following week consisted of more genestealer purging, whilst sending out feelers to Gavarrone to see if we could make contact with someone from the convent. Nothing too obvious, to try and keep our cover, but I knew that Killian and Metheius were there, hiding in the convent. The sooner we could secure Shadowlight, the sooner we could focus on the Tyranids in the walls.
As of right now I was hidden in an alleyway along the main route that Cain was supposed to take on his way to meet with Keesh, where he would be ambushed by Genestealers.
" Principal Detected." Silver's voice echoed in the helmet as the Auspex screen highlighted the convoy of Justicars approaching, and the large sanitation truck that passed a second before decided to bury its nose into the guard railing. Welp, time to go to work. For this sortie I was solo for now, I was perched on a balcony that had a wonderful bird's eye view of the highway. I had left Grande with Flicker and had taken up Dimitri for this party, and as I lined up the reticle on the optic with the driver of the truck.
"Stalking a man is like hunting any other animal, choose the wrong moment and your opportunity is forever lost." Dimitri spoke, his reticle adjusting itself for distance as I watched a justiciar approach the truck, and a familiar monocycle being double ridden approaches an overly polished limousine. I shift the reticle and my aim over to the Monocycle, confirming what I remembered of the novel and seeing a shotgun cradled in the rear rider's arms.
I feel the rifle hit my shoulder more than hear it go off as I pull the trigger, thanks to a favor Yanbel cooked up especially for this operation, a Bramit suppressor, and I also suspected Dimitri was doing his damnedest to tell physics to fuck off. I worked his bolt as his barking laugh filled my ears.
"получил ублюдок! (poluchil ublyudok!) ((Got the fucker!))"
Hell broke loose. The driver pulled a shotgun just a hair too slow and earned a lasbolt to his face for his trouble, the civilian populace scurrying away, but I could see a head of green hair that could only belong to Zemelda diving for cover behind the car that housed Cain and Jurgen. I provided overwatch for the first minutes of the ambush. Popping genestealer heads whenever I could get a decent shot. Good lord there's a lot more here than I remember.
Some things, it seems, were fated. Because Keesh's aide, who's name I couldn't bother to remember, still got his ribs pulped by a shotgun blast, and Zemelda proved to be a dab hand at a rifle, joining Cain and Jurgen in the defense of their car. I made to start sprinting my way down to them when the air was filled with the roar of an Arvus Lighter Shuttle…and the unmistakable riffs of Spiderbait's cover of Black Betty.
" GOOOOOOOOD MOOOORNING PERIREMUNDA! " Bubba shouts from the sky as he's deployed in a hot drop that would make Jeff Moreau green with envy, "Today's forecast calls for a spot of STEEL RAIN , followed by scattered showers of high explosives, brought to you by none other than BROOOOTHER VEEEEEEEENNNNTEEEERS!"
The black-clad Deathwatch Space Marine is manning Drake, and laying down a line of fire that shreds the vehicular cover that the 'Stealers were hiding behind and the 'Stealers themselves with prejudice. I can see Anya and Piotr in the cab, utilizing Bubba's bulk to hit a Hybrid brandishing another shotgun clad in a jacket that was arguably more of a threat than the scattergun. Almost three tons of fun paste the hybrid, and Dimitri's voice snaps me out of my shocked stupor.
"There goes any chance of staying quiet, tovarisch."
" Maximum Strength Protocol Engaged." Silver declared as I slung Dimitri over my shoulder and leapt from my perch. I hit the ground and sprinted, crossing the two hundred yards between my perch and the highway at a speed fueled by adrenaline and bioelectricity. Taking advantage of the powered armor's enhanced mobility I vaulted over the guardrail and proceeded to get bitchslapped across the length of the highway by a hormagaunt.
" Armor Protocol Enga-" WHUMP! The sound of tearing metal and shattering glass. I grit my teeth as I feel rage burn in my chest.
" My patience is wearing thin ." I growled out, Silver broadcasting my voice and allowing me to tear my way out of the shattered civilian car, bringing one of the doors with me and flinging it at the Hormagaunt, cutting off one of its arm blades and following it up with a shot from Buddy, dropping it sans one head. I approached Bubba and readied myself.
" Tag out, Brother Venters, take care of the obstruction, would you kindly?" I speak, earning a quick nod and a quicker position swap. I'm now manning Drake, laying down suppressive fire over the increasingly numerous number of hybrids trying to take potshots at us.
"Howdy, Pa!" Drake calls as he switches off his rate reducer, the firing rate almost doubling, allowing me to cut an approaching technical in half. Venters approached the sanitation truck, and with ease expected of one of the Sons of Vulkan, Flipped it over the edge of the guardrail and out of the road.
" HAUL ASS CIAPHAS!" I shouted, seeing said commissar pull Zemelda into the limousine and Jurgen burns rubber. I feel Bubba shift as Venters hops into the bed, manning Patton as we join Ciaphas, Jurgen and Co. in Hauling Ass. The latest film brought to you by the Adeptus Propaganda.
We were met at Keesh's headquarters by Vail, who had already taken Zemelda under her wing by the time we rolled up. What I was not expecting was the package tucked under Vail's arm, and the White Rose Sister of Battle waiting for us as well.
"Lancebearer!" The Sister announces, forming the sign of the Aquilla. I hop off the bed and turn to face Vail who simply shakes her head tiredly and opens up the package tucked under her arm, revealing the severed heads of Killian and Metheius.
"Things have gotten much more complicated, David." She speaks, and that twisting feeling in my gut returns with searing intensity.
" ...I figured, Boss."
Periremunda Part 2
While Cain waited with Keesh, Amberley pulled me into a side room with the Battle Sister where she addressed the elephant in the room.
"Shadowlight is currently still secure in the Gavarrone chantry. Unfortunately, according to Palatine Lena." The now identified Battle Sister nodded her head in greeting, stark white hair framing a face bereft of baby fat and a tattoo of a rose on her cheek. Vail continues her explanation.
"The Chantry has been facing multiple attempts at infiltration by chaos cultists and the Canonness is concerned that an all out assault may be brewing." Vail spoke and I can see her resisting the urge to rub at her forehead exasperatedly.
"So two major concerns have been dealt with at the hands of the White Roses, but now we have what was a minor problem deciding it wants to be a big problem." I summarized, rubbing the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. "And you, Sister Lena, you called me something before, some kind of title."
The Sister of Battle seemed to brighten up with the smile that lit up her face.
"Yes, Sir Lancebearer! His Holiness the Emperor of Mankind came to the Canoness in a dream! With a single swipe of her power sword she cleaved the heads of the traitors from their shoulders. The order of the White Rose is at your command, Inquisitor!" Lena relayed, smile never leaving her face as she turned to face Vail.
"You didn't answer his question, Palatine."
"He is the Lancebearer. He bears the Lance of the God-Emperor Himself. It's not a complicated title, Inquisitor." Lena chirps, turning around to face me once more, that manic look in her eyes reminding me waaaaaaay too much of Raya when I'm under house arrest. I could feel the spearhead growing warm in its place strapped to the back of the chest plate I wore, and a realization tears through my mind.
" Longinus…" I whisper, earning another sign of the Aquilla from Lena and a pointed look from Vail.
"David, you will be going to Gavaronne to assist in the defense of the Chantry until I can get Cain and Jurgen over to secure Shadowlight. We're going to need Jurgen if my fears are proven correct." Vail speaks, suddenly sounding more like a commander than I've ever seen her. "You have carte blanche to defend Shadowlight, I don't care what you do as long as anything that tries to take that artifact from us into pink mist . Am I understood?"
I took my helm and placed it back over my head.
" I'm taking Venters."
"Shut up and get in the karking truck, David!"
" Yes ma'am."
—
The Gavarrone Chantry of the order of the White Rose was a fair bit bigger than I recalled from the novel, but that may have been the amount of activity going on. Having been dropped off by the same shuttle that supplied me with the image of Bubba flying, we drove down the main highway of Gavarrone. Piotr and Anya were driving as Venter's and I manned the weapons in the back with Sister Lena poised to provide AG (Assistant Gunner) support for Drake. Piotr's voice buzzed in my comm-bead.
"That's a lot of Battle Sisters, David." He observed, and he wasn't wrong, there were power armored bodies running around the chantry like bees. They were everywhere. It wasn't just them, I could see the Gavarrone sect of the PDF assisting. Activity ceased as they witnessed Venters in the bed with us, most of these PDF folks thought that the Emperor's Angels were myths, now there was one here. In pitch black armor riding around in a ranch truck.
"Take us in, Pete." I responded, tapping Bubba's roof. I noticed Anya slap her cousin's shoulder scoldingly and suppressed a grin before Lena spoke, drawing my attention to her.
"We need to report to the Canoness, Lancebearer." She explains as she hops from the bed of the truck when we reach the courtyard of the Chantry, Venters and I dismount and I approach the cab. Piotr rolls down the window and I address the two Vostroyans.
"Keep your heads on a swivel and the doors locked. I don't trust anyone here who hasn't been gene-scanned. I'll be getting to work on that as soon as I can get the Canoness to listen. Watch each other's backs. Anya, hook up to Patton's remote system. Get him linked to your auspex and turn anything with an extra hand or an eight pointed star into mulch." Piotr's gas masked face conveyed an emotion I could only sympathize with as the window rolled back up and I could still hear Anya's gleeful laugh as the solenoid system kicked in and Patton's barrel matched up with her sightline.
"Damnation I will never get used to this feeling." Patton muttered and I shook my head before returning to join Venters and Lena.
As we walked, Venters' voice buzzed my comm-bead.
" I think the Sisters are more incensed by your presence here than my own, Little Smith." Ah the ancient technique of private comm channels and hermetically sealed power helms. Always fun.
"Apparently the Emperor's pulled the 'Divine Inspiration' card and the Canoness has gone full zealot. I'm hoping I can leverage that to get her to gene-test the PDF forces before I get the Exterminatus to drop additional firepower." I replied as we made our way through the intricate halls of the chantry. Lorgar's fanfiction draped the walls, and in some cases was carved into the stone itself. Lena noticed my observations.
"The Lecticto Divinitatus, it's holy words give us guidance and inspiration in these difficult times, Lancebearer." Lena speaks as we walk, and I let out a sigh.
"My name is David, Sister Lena." I mutter and she turns to face me with a reverence that is frankly disconcerting.
"And David James Foothill is the Lancebearer, as declared by the Emperor of Mankind. You have been chosen-"
"To do great things, I know, Sister Lena." I cut her off, pushing forward to get further down into the chantry. "It's not like I'm not told that by my wife on a daily basis. Not to mention Venters here deciding to stick around despite having much better things to do than to help my scrawny ass build shit."
" And it has not ceased to be amusing, Little Smith." Venters quips and I shake my head as we enter the main chamber of the chantry, and there stands Canoness Egalantine. Clad in Sororitas power armor with white filigree and a crown of white roses.
"Lancebearer." Oh son of a bitch. "We are honored to host you here in the chantry of the Order of the White Rose." Egalantine spoke, she was standing guard over what I assumed to be Shadowlight. It was a fairly simple slab of stone but just looking on it put my neck hairs on end.
"It's been an experience, that's for sure…let's get to brass tacks, Canoness. What are we facing?" I asked and was met with a tired sigh.
"Heretics have been testing our defenses for days. The PDF are growing weary, and some are showing signs of lacking the required faith necessary for the defense of this holy ground. However," The tiredness leaves her voice and is replaced with religious fervor and I can practically see the fire in her eyes as she brings her gaze over myself and Venters. "With your arrival I'm certain the faithful will be reinvigorated. An Angel, here on Periremunda, and the Lancebearer here in the flesh. Today is truly glorious."
"Please, save the glory and celebration until we get the hell-bait off world and deal with the 'Nids. I need anyone who hasn't already been gene-tested to be tested as soon as possible. I can't afford the risk of having 'Stealer infiltrators subverting our defenses when we might have to deal with the Ruinous Powers." I dropped the bombshell, and as expected, the Canoness seethed with indignation.
"Preposterous! That is akin to questioning my own Faith!" I felt my eye twitch beneath my helm as I held her gaze behind my crimson lenses. My patience broke.
"Canoness, you decapitated two high ranking officials, one of whom was an Inquisitor. Off of a dream in which the Emperor Himself declares my mission to be of vital importance, you welcome me into this temple, you acknowledge that I have in my possession the spear that the Emperor himself has used to kill a God , and yet when I give you an order . Not a suggestion, an Order. Backed by the powers invested in me by the Emperor's most Holy Inquisition, you question it and bristle like a rejected schoolgirl! ." I ranted, voice enhanced by Silver echoing off the walls of the chantry and down throughout the temple. Venters was standing to my right slightly behind me, backing up my words with his bulk, and I could also see Lena moving to my left to flank the Canoness.
"Do you know what the penalty is for insubordination, Canoness? I could order you shot and your own Sisters would gun you down. Happily, I might add. I've heard stories, Canoness. Of how your order will so happily turn on its allied regiments for lacking faith. How about excessive pride? Hm?" I walked slowly around the Canoness, circling her slowly, watching as Lena drew her bolt pistol and held it at a casual low ready. Lena gave me a nod, assuring me she would follow the order should I give it. I circled back around to Egalantine's front. My armor activated as I got within arms reach of her and her power sword, voice rumbling in a low growl.
"Pride. How many faithful servants of the Emperor have been brought low by pride, Egalantine of Gavarrone? How many generals so assured in their ambition have caused whole planets to be lost to the Enemy? This chantry is under MY protection now, Egalantine. I call you by your name now because you already know what is required for your transgression. You bear the same title as I now, Repentia. Go. Perform the rites. Pray for forgiveness and for deliverance through the coming battle." The former Canoness' head was bowed, and already I could hear prayers being whispered as she walked past me. Each step was accentuated by the crash of a piece of power armor being shed and falling to the floor. A small crowd had gathered outside, Sisters of the White Rose, two of which, Egalantine's personal aides I would later find out, assisted her, and the crown of roses was replaced with the signature hood. I turned to Lena.
"Get those tests Done , Canoness Lena. I will not have this place subverted because someone was unlucky enough to have too much wine in the wrong bar!" I ordered, I pointed at two other Battle Sisters. "You, and You. Gather a squad and fortify this position. Do Not touch that Relic. It'll kill you. I want at least two heavy bolters or a melta emplacement ready to go. The hell are you all looking at? We have work to do! "
Days pass. The gene tests get done. We wiped out a sect of PDF that had gotten infected the evening I arrived, Venters proving himself a Salamander for sure via judicious use of a requisitioned heavy flamer. I read about Cain's adventures with Zeppelins but honestly things had gotten so far out of what I had read so many years ago I threw out any semblance of foreknowledge I may have had.
The reason? Chaos cultists. Lots of them. A concerningly large amount of chaos cultists for a place like Periremunda that's currently under the shadow of the warp! Oh yeah! The Bugs . I damn near lost Piotr holding off a bug assault when we were heading into the main settlement of Gavarrone to retrieve more weapons and ammunition for the chantry.
"I hate Tyranids!" Piotr mutters as we burned rubber back to the chantry, Anya laying down hate with Drake as we make our way down the highway with a chimera escort.
"Everyone hates the damn 'Nids, Pete." I shoot back, bowling over a hormagaunt who tried to stop our momentum but discovered what 90 miles an hour of Ford Tough feels like.
"And he is OUTTA HERE! " Bubba calls as the head of the Tyranid got knocked into the distance. We cleaned up the scouting force, because that's the only role I could think of for a force that small coming from the 'Nids.
"Cousin is just upset that he almost lost his favorite hand, Commandant." Anya quipped through our comm-bead and I let out a laugh that earned me a gas masked glare from Piotr. Whom I nudged with my elbow playfully. The road cleared up and we had a few minutes of travel, our truck bed was laden with heavy bolter ammunition and a particularly zealous lascannon that I vowed to take with us back on the Exterminatus.
"Didn't I see the good Sister Lena limping out of your room the other day, Pete? You can afford to lose one hand, I would think." I teased him, earning a shake of his head.
"I resent these accusations, tovarisch." I let out a barking laugh as we pulled into the Chantry. Things were seeming to look up.
I was wrong.
Dear Lord in Heaven was I wrong.
The Arvus Lighter was waiting for us by the time we got there, I could see Venters manning the wall, giving soft spoken orders to the PDF and attending Sisters. In addition to that I spied Vail, Cain, and Jurgen all disembarking the Arvus. We all got our game faces on at that point. We disembarked Bubba and unloaded quickly. Well, I ordered Anya and Piotr to unload quickly as I ran to meet up with Vail.
"What is this I hear about you acting like a proper Inquisitor for once, David?" She asks and I let out a laugh as I shook my head in exasperation.
"I can pull out the fire and brimstone when need be, Boss. Howdy Ciaphas, Jurgen, sorry we couldn't catch up at Keesh's, things kinda went critical, to say the least." I greeted the two with a quick nod.
"You don't say…did you also have to shoot down a Promethium Dirigible?" Cain snarked, and I let out another laugh,
"Not yet, but I did browbeat the highest ranking Sister of the Convent into a Repentia." Our verbal sparring was cut short by Vail giving the two of us a slap on the back of the head each.
"You two can verbally fellate each other later. When we have the incredibly dangerous relic off planet ." Vail spoke and it was back to business. We started to make good time but we hadn't even made it to the central chamber when the alarm was raised. Venters' voice buzzed our comm-beads.
" Heretics coming in from the North and East! Secure the package Inquisitor!" He calls, and I pop my power helm onto my head, unslinging Dimitri from my shoulder and mounting his bayonet. I turned to Vail for permission.
"Your orders haven't changed, Interrogator, Hold this place until we secure Shadowlight!" She declares, and I'm off, once again hauling ass to reach the front as fast as possible. I reach the courtyard where the defense is being rallied and find Anya behind the wheel of Bubba and Patton running on a swivel.
" Where's Piotr?" I ask, earning a gesture to the walls in the direction that the sounds of lasfire is coming from.
"Supporting Lord Venters, Commandant." Okay. Not ideal. But I can work with that.
" Get me over there. You're our reinforcements, Anya. Anything gets through the main gate and you cut it in half. Patton, Bubba. You two do everything you can to help her do that and keep her head attached, got it?"
"You got it, Son."
"When have I ever let you down, Davey?"
" You broke your fuel pump four times in two months."
"You still remember that?"
The front was what you would expect of a defensive line consisting mainly of Sisters of Battle with PDF reinforcements. Bolt Shells and lasers burn from the walls and I see a gout of napalm slag an entire Cultist Technical. There's Venters and Piotr. Thinking quickly, I pull Drake's Lynchpin used Silver's enhanced strength to haul him up the wall. Joining Venters and Piotr I levered Drake over the wall and let loose a hail of suppressing fire. At this point, I had loaded one barrel feeding 40mm frag, and the other with 40mm krak.
"Piotr, get me more belts! Venters, what are we looking at? All I see are a couple technicals and foot soldiers." I ordered, Piotr rushing behind cover to enter the AG role.
" Mortals, improvised weaponry and armor, mostly lasweaponry and autoguns, heavy calibre improvised technicals, and I purged their main heavy cannon a few moments ag-"
" PLASMA! " Piotr shouted, shoving me down to the ground, and the air seemed to explode as the plasma projectile impacted the wall. " GAGH FUCK MY KARKING LEG!"
We were lucky, a more direct shot and we would all be dead, but Piotr took the brunt, his left leg below the knee was gone, melted into steam. I let out a growl and swung back over the still glowing red wall. Another technical, this one fitted with the plasma cannon that cost my friend his leg.
"Fuck 'em up, Pa!" THU-THU-THU-THUMP! The sound of two barrels depositing twenty five grenade rounds in the span of a second rang in my ears as I grit my teeth and reduced the plasma technical and two other vehicles into bloody scrap. A voice rings through the battlefield, too loud to be natural, and tinged with a hissing cant that sets my hairs on edge and does nothing to calm my growing fury.
" There's the fury…the anger and rage. Such wonderful offerings to the Blood God, Bearer of the Corpse's Favor!" The voice calls, and our attention is drawn to a new arrival. What could only be an Astartes…a Dark Apostle, the commander of our enemies.
" TRAITOR!" Venters shouts, voice booming across the battlefield.
" I was not addressing you, cousin. I was addressing the young man with such wonderful gifts to give to the glorious Four. Tell me, Foothill, did you not think we would notice? Did you think you could wake that pitiful excuse of a God and get away with it?" The Dark Apostle spoke, and I could feel my blood boiling beneath my skin and a growl growing in the back of my throat.
"I'm thinking that you hurt one of my friends…You're going to die for that." I stated simply, earning a spray of lasbolts that hit absolutely nothing from an overeager cultist who was turned to chunks of gore by his own commander. One of the battle sisters, a sister Hospitaler, came and retrieved Piotr. Carrying him away and depositing him in Bubba's bed.
" Such confidence, such Faith, do you know who you come up against, child? I am Quor Karmain, of the Word Bearers. I've seen millenia of war, what have you seen?" Karmain the dead man spoke, and I let out another growl.
"I've been casting out demons since before you were a twinkle in your daddy's eye, Boy." I snarled out, Silver was boosting my perception, to at least give me a chance to react if the bolter in Karmain's hand rose to my level.
" Enhancement Limiters Removed " Silver's Voice burned in my ear, good. Something pulled my hand to the spearhead strapped to the inside of my breastplate. It was warm, no, hot like a casing fresh from the chamber.
" Show me then, mortal! Show me what pitiful resistance you can put up before I tear your head from your shoulders!" The Word Bearer called, urging his forces forward with a war cry.
The spearhead grew red hot in my hand and I drew it out and above my head, white light radiating throughout the battlefield with a tinge of gold. I slammed the now much heavier lance into the ground by my side. The Lance of Longinus now in its full splendor, an eight foot shaft of polished ash wood tapped with a golden spearhead wreathed in fire. A boltshell impacts the haft, and is deflected without a scratch to the wood itself. I let a grin grow on my face as I hefted the spear above my head and let myself roar.
" TO WAR! FOR OUR LAND, FOR OUR HOMES, FOR THE EMPEROR!"
Periremunda Part 3
"Reinforce the supporting lines! I want every inch between the wall and their lines covered in the bodies of their fallen! " I shouted from the battlements, taking occasional shots with my .45 into the opposing forces. "I have no use for dead heroes! These traitors believe they serve something greater than themselves, greater than our fury! Show them exactly how wrong they are!"
On Graia, I was the attacking force, here I was defending. We had less options for retreat or even any really. My tactical musings were cut short by a spray of bolt shells that came too close for comfort. Venters took up Drake and sprayed the remainder of the belts into the enemy line. The shells detonated like rolling thunder, Venters tossed me Drake and drew his chainsword with one hand, his hand flamer in the other, and stepped up onto the edge of the wall.
" Into the Fires of Battle, Little Smith!" He calls, before leaping down into the fray. I'm shocked for a split second before Drake spurs me on.
"Unto the Anvil of War, Dad." The heavy bolter speaks solemnly even as I hand him to Lena, who's power armor servos whine in effort.
The Lance's fire grows in intensity, as if urging me into the Melee. My fingers tightened around the spear shaft. Silver pumped my body full of an energy that pulsed beneath my skin.
" Maximum Strength Protocol Engaged." I launched from the battlements, I could see a squad of seraphim doing the same, the world seemed to move in slow motion, the bullets, lasers and bolt shells filling the air as I began my descent with the Lance poised above my head.
" Terminal Velocity Reached. Initiating Thunderstrike Protocol" Silver announces and I land with a crash of energy amidst a small mob of cultists whilst slamming the haft of the Lance into the ground. The resulting blast is muted by Silver but I can feel the shockwave, and see the red mist around me that used to be cultists, in addition to the line of fire that spewed from the earth and split the enemy forces like the Red Sea.
" Come, you misled fools…find salvation through the only mercy I can give." I snarl out, drawing my companion from his holster. The Seraphim land and start putting in work with their flamers, I see two squads of Repentia sprinting from the chantry, led by the former Canoness and her power sword.
The battle is frantic. Darting from cover to cover in a blink of an eye, I can feel Silver pushing my body into overdrive enough to at one point I killed a cultist simply by running into him fast enough. The roar of an engine fills the air, accompanied by Bubba making a mockery of any semblance of road safety laws. Anya was driving, and Piotr, that absolutely insane bastard, is running Drake like a sewing machine whilst being strapped to his damned pintle, spewing heavy bolter rounds and shouting obscenities.
" Мне понравилась эта нога, вы, засранцы!"
Yeah that's understandable. His shouting was joined by both Bubba and Patton laughing like maniacs as Anya turns a carapace armored cultist wielding a chain axe into paste whilst chunking a squad of foot soldiers with .50 BMG.
I'm so glad I got that auspex synch working.
We make enough progress to join Venters, who has been spearheading his way towards Karmain. I rush forward, punting a blue horror that had spawned from one of Venters Kills, whilst spearing its twin with Longinus. Its dying scream echoes as another Daemon faces true death.
As we begin to encircle Karmain, I can get a better look at him. He wore Heresy-era filigree. Crimson armor and gray trim, mottled with daemonic scriptures and engravings. His face mirrored his gene-fathers, however instead of Lorgar's Fanfiction, his face was tattooed with worship of the four, and the sight of it sent my stomach churning. He locked eyes with me and spread his arms to gesture at the carnage around us, even as his cultists were cut down around him.
"Look, Deacon ! Behold the carnage you have wrought! I declare you hypocrite! Your beliefs state 'thou shalt not kill!' Do they not?! The Blood God drinks heavily this day!" He shouts, his voice containing the fervor of a fanatic trying to rally his flock behind him. I cut him off.
" Murder." I speak, Silver amplifying my voice to cut through the sounds of battle.
" What? !" Karmain exclaims.
" The words given to Moses on Mount Sinai by the Lord of Man in the year of 1446 BC declare 'thou shall not murder.'" I speak, keeping eyes locked with the traitorous scum. His armor's machine spirit speaks to me. It tells me of battles, of victories won, of waterfalls of blood. It tells me of secrets…of Istvan V. " I won't be preached to by the likes of you. Who betrayed your own kin. Who sold your soul to powers that you don't fully understand. Do you know the price of your betrayal? Do you know what Hell awaits you for the crimes you've committed against your fellow man? Against the Almighty?" There's fire in my chest, indignation that isn't my own, there's a presence in the back of my mind that is becoming more and more pronounced.I feel my hand tighten around the shaft of the Lance, I can feel the heat from the flames intensify even through the armor and my mouth continues to move without my willing it, and the sound that escapes isn't my voice.
" You will. Child of the XVIIth." My gaze is is forced towards Venters.
" Break him."
—
Mama had brought me planetside once the initial conflict had started, sneaking aboard one of the supply shuttles.
Being sneaky was fun, until the fight started. Mama and I watched Papa leap into the field like a superhero. Mama called him an Idiot.
Mama stayed in the treeline, and we watched as Papa and Uncle Venters led the charge into towards the traitor. The thing is, Mama can't see what I see…she didn't see Grandpa take hold of Papa.
She can't hear Papa screaming.
It hurts, hearing Papa wail, anger and pain. I try to tell Mama but she can't understand. So it's up to me.
"Let Papa go, Grandpa! You're hurting him!" I'm shouting at him, that Golden silhouette smothering the Green of my Papa's Soul. Papa's body is moving. Faster than he can normally, but I can see it, I can feel his muscles tearing beneath Silver. I can hear him snarling out in pain and defiance.
" This is necessary, Terentia." Grandpa speaks to me, tone soft, but I don't care. He's hurting Papa. I'm pushing against the leg, I'm so small…it doesn't do much. I'm forcing my projection's hands into his legs and pushing with everything I can. Uncle Venters cuts off one of Karmain's hands, and the Repentia squad swarms him. They die. But the Canoness uses her power sword to take Karmain's other arm. I can see their souls flock to Grandpa.
"Stop hurting Papa! Listen to him! You're killing him Grandpa!" I cry slamming my fists into the leg of that Golden aura. I can feel Mama lever a round into my chamber and take aim at Karmain, who's charging Papa.
" Cease this, Machine-child!" Grandpa snaps at me but I can't stop. Papa needs me. Grandpa keeps making the same mistakes!
"You're going to make him another Uncle Lorgar, Grandpa! Can you not see Them ?!" I shout, pushing all my worry and fear into the words. I can see them…tendrils of the Four, trying to tempt Papa, but even through the pain he's pushing them away. That gets Grandpa to hesitate, and I can see his golden aura lash at those tendrils. Karmain lunges at Papa.
Mama pulls my trigger, and I charge the round with all of my energy, crying out in rage and defiance to everyone surrounding my Papa.
—-
" GET AWAY FROM MY PAPA! "
Terentia's bolt strikes Karmain's body and tears his legs from his body. And there he lies. Limbless, immobile, glaring and spitting poison.
My world is pain. The pressure on my mind is gone, and I have control of my limbs again, but I can taste blood. Silver is relaying damage to me through the helmet's auspex. Torn muscles, sprains, I'm bleeding from my nose, ears, and eyes. The only reason I'm still standing is Silver and spite.
"Thanks baby girl…" I whisper before limping forward, using the lance as a walking stick. I'm limping like an old man, every muscle I have screaming out in protest as I poise the Lance to finish it.
"You're nothing but a pawn , Deacon." Karmain snarls out, blood seeping from his lips joining the growing puddle pooling beneath him. "The Corpse-Emperor will cast you aside just as he did my gene-father!"
"I've known that since he brought me here, dumbass." I muttered, suddenly feeling the exhaustion of the fight hit me as I tightened my grip and angled the flaming spearhead at Karmain's throat. "Now shut up and die ."
The lance cut through his throat, golden light flares and the fire spreads, enveloping Karmain's body and his screams are hoarse whispers forced from severed vocal chords. In moments, Karmain is Ash. And my strength fails me, I fall to my knees, tear off my helm, spit out a glob of black blood onto the ground and collapse onto my back.
My vision blurs and Venters' shout of 'Medicae!' Is drowned out by the tinnitus ringing in my ears.
" I am the righteous hand of God;
I am the Devil you Forgot.
I told you one day you will see;
I'll be back I guarantee.
That hell's coming, Hell's coming.
Hell, Hell's coming with me. "
TLs: Мне понравилась эта нога, вы, засранцы
I liked that leg you assholes!
I woke up on the Exterminatus. In the medbay with a bundle of medicae fussing over me and the haze of anesthetics clouding my mind. I could hear bits and pieces of their conversation through the cloud.
"-practically swimming in adrenaline"
"Both kidneys severely damaged"
"87% of muscles on the right arm are torn through overstrain."
"Prepare the Interrogator for surgery. Yanbel, prepare the augmetics."
"Yes, Lady Inquisitor."
The world faded into darkness once more.
I would wake intermittently, things would change. The chiurgeons working, Vail overseeing things. Raya standing guard like a statue.
Once I woke in the middle of the night, finding one of the lower deck personnel in my room, a knife on the floor, and Raya holding him by his throat.
Atta Girl
" One week of rest…you heretics can't give him…a single week of rest ?!" She snarls, and the snap of the would-be assassin's neck echoes through the room. She throws the corpse out into the hallway. "Deal with this trash!"
"They got me on those good drugs huh…" I mutter, voice hoarse as Raya walks over calmly to the side of the bed with a light huff.
"Enough anesthetics to make me numb." She replies, setting into her vigil with one hand on her bolt-lance.
"Look at you, high on the job…" I snarked, I couldn't really feel anything but a cursory glance showed that I had my skin still, even if my arms were marked with surgical scars. "…what did they do to me, Raya?" My voice didn't crack you're hearing things.
"When the Emperor took action through you the stress response flooded your body with adrenaline. You were running a fever and your blood pressure spiked enough to rupture multiple blood vessels. Your body was pushed beyond the limits of mortal flesh." Raya spoke softly. I know Raya, I was there.
"Raya, what parts got switched out. That's all I'm asking."
"You've been fitted with an augmetic heart, lungs, kidneys and liver." Raya hesitates before continuing. "The silver carapace held your muscles and bones in place despite the tears and fractures, but the damage needed repair. Your bones have been reinforced with augmetic braces and your muscle fibers have been similarly reinforced."
I nod silently, bringing my focus inward as if that'll help me feel the changes in my body.
"Freakin dime store Afriel strain" I mutter under my breath, taking a look at the stitches and scarring.
"You're not that pale, David. And your subordinates actually like you."
"Speaking of which, how's Piotr?"
"He's been fit with an augmetic leg and has been awarded the Medallion Crimson for his actions." Raya relayed quickly, I nodded again.
"Good. What's the situation? Why am I up here instead of in the medbay of the chantry? Where's everyone?" I asked, I couldn't move much, the drugs made my limbs feel like lead.
"Commissar Cain and Gunner Ferrik Jurgen have returned to their posting with the Valhallan 597th, but they did relay their well-wishes. Piotr, Anya, Venters, and Sister Lena are aboard, but are performing duties."
"Sister Lena? What's she doing here? She should be back on Periremunda helping finish off the 'Nids." My question was met with a chuckle that I had learned meant I caused something really terrible to happen.
"The good Canoness has, with the Squadron of Seraphim that had witnessed your possession, joined the Inquisitor's retinue." Oh no, there's that sinking feeling again. "They're currently repainting their Livery. They've taken to calling themselves the Order of the Lance."
"She can't do that, she's not a Saint!" I protested. All it did was make Raya bark out a laugh of course, but I did appreciate the soft hand that ruffled my hair afterwards.
"As the ranking Ecclesiarchy official on Periremunda, having borne witness to The Emperor acting directly through you. She's claiming Divine Inspiration in the formation of this Minor Order. There hasn't been any pushback yet."
"Good Lord, she's never going to leave me alone." I groaned.
"I made it perfectly clear that you are spoken for, David."
"Yes dear….what are we doing now? Why are we not helping with the 'Nids?"
Raya hesitates, chewing her lip in thought for a few seconds before replying.
"We've been summoned, David." She finally speaks.
"Summoned where, Raya."
"…Home."